The invention relates to a liquid-containing photovoltaic element, comprising at least a plate-like work electrode and a plate-like counter-electrode adhered thereto by means of a vapour and liquid-tight peripheral edge, wherein a liquid is received in a space between the work electrode, the counter-electrode and the peripheral edge.
Such a liquid-containing photovoltaic element is known from the European patent application EP-A-0855726. The known photovoltaic element comprises a work electrode which is formed by a layered structure of at least a first electrically conductive layer which is deposited on a first substrate, a layer of nanocrystalline metal oxide semiconductor material deposited on the first electrically conductive layer, a counter-electrode which is formed by a transparent second electrically conductive layer deposited on a transparent second substrate, and an electrolytic liquid contained between the layer of semiconductor material and the second electrically conductive layer. In practical situations use is usually made of a glass plate for the first and second substrate.
It is a drawback of the known liquid-containing photovoltaic element that the contacts for drawing current from the element are arranged on edge zones of the element, wherein in all cases a first edge zone on a first substrate on which is formed a first contact does not extend opposite the second substrate, and vice versa, a second edge zone on a second substrate on which is formed a second contact does not extend opposite the first substrate. The substrate for the work electrode and the substrate for the counter-electrode in the known liquid-containing photovoltaic element are offset relative to each other so as to provide space for the electrical contacts. Offsetting of the substrates relative to each other results in a reduction of the available effective surface of the photovoltaic element, and thereby in a decrease, proportional to that reduction, in the maximum power of this element.